The countdown is on for a rocket launch from the Central Coast intended to put a spy satellite into orbit. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base Wednesday afternoon.
If weather conditions permit, the 12:18 p.m. launch may be visible throughout much of the region. Plans call for landing the mission’s reusable booster back at Vandenberg Air Force Base. It’s expected that will generate two sonic booms which will be heard throughout the region.
The National Reconnaissance Office hasn’t released details on the NROL-87 mission. It released a statement saying the rocket will carry a national security payload designed, built, and operated by the agency.
